Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-28
CENTRAL'S NEW TERMINUS
BIG PURCHASE IN THE HEART
OF BIRMINGHAM.

Che Site First Acquired Too Much Out
OF the Way-Delay in Building the
Goodwater Extension on Account OF
government ELECTROMAGNETIC Column
bus and Rome to be Carried Through
Gen. Alexander, Gen. Lawton, Capt.
Henry Blum and Mr.. A, Vetsburg were
back yesterday from their trip over the
Georgia Central.
The President was asked about the re-
duction in force which is to go into effect
tomorrow. He stated that Mr.. Belknap,
the General Superintendent, had found
that there is an excess of employees in
the shops, and that the company could
well afford TO economic without Gripping
itself at all. Men had been dropped only
where there were more than was needed.
NEW TERMINAL SITE.
Gen. Alexander and his party went as
far as Birmingham, and while there he
succeeded in obtaining new terminal
lite. The one first acquired was not CEN
sral and was considered too incon-
venient. 1t is understood that the road
had to pay good round sum for its new
property, as Birmingham real estate ls
selling away up into the clouds. The adj
ditional advantage gained by having
central site more than cOmpensates, now
ever. for the extra money invested. The
exact location of the purchase could not
be learned yesterday from the officials, az
they consider it to their interest 10 With
hold the Information for a few days, but
Birmingham dispatch says that Gen.
Alexander bought ten acres OF land on
Fwenty-ninth street and Ninth avenue OF
be Elyton Land Company.
THE GOVERNMENT OBJECTS.
1ne would infer from conversation with
the CentraPs officials that they are in
sort of quandary over the Coosa river
bridge dilemma. Asstated in the MORN
ING NEWS of Friday, the government en-
p DIR in charge of the COosa has raised
the point that the company will have to
get permission from Congress to bridge
the river. Gen. Alexander says that
would delay the Goodwater extension at
least year. The spans OF the bridge are
100 feet long, with one 200 feet long over
the chanpel. 10 put in draw would
greatly increase the cost of the bridge.
Why the objection was made puzzles the
company. The East Tennessee, Virginia
and Georgia, without asking Congress,
brIdged the stream several miles below the
point where the Central will cross, and the
Georgia Pacific did not have TO ask Con-
gress when it threw bridge across the
river farther up. The CoOsa is not navi-
gable 80 high up, and it is said that 1t
would take an immense appropriation TO
make 1t navigable for boats OF any size.
Gen. Alexander does not think that the
idea of improving the river will be
seriously entertained by Congress for
many years yet. If ever. The permission
of the Alabama Legislature was obtained
to build the bridge, and the Central
thinks that it ought to be allowed to go
ahead and complete it.
THE COLUMBUS AND ROME.
In regard 30 the statement that the CO.
3umbus and Rome road Will be extended,
and which was contradicted by a Savan-
nah dispatch in Saturdays Atlanta Con-
stitutioD, the President states that the line
will be put through, though possibly not
to Newman. He favors Griffin as the OBJ
Iective point, because the farther east his
line runs the more trade 1t Will take from
the Georgia Midland. The construction
of this latter road compels the Central to
extend it's line from GTeenville to some
point from which Atlanta can be reached.
BY running over to Griffin and striking
its own line there, the Central will give
Columbus a shorter line to Atlanta than
she will have by the Georgia Midland and
the East Tennessee. The fifty-One miles
of road from Columbus to Greenville is
now making little more than running
expenses, probably $4,000 or $l2.000 a
year more. If the line is extended IT is be-
lieved that the earnings Will be
sufficiently increased to pay 212 or per
cent. dividend.
Another plan is to extend the line
from Greenville up through Fayetteville
and tAnce TO Atlanta. That would give
route considerably shorter than the one
by Griffin, but the territory through
which it would pass already belongs TO
thnGeorgia Central. Although the mat
te1has been discussed only casually
among the directors, and while no plan
has been settled upon, it Is likely that
the route to Griffin VIII be adopted and
work will most likely be begun before a
great while.